Slow-Cooked Apricot-Thyme Chicken (Redux)
"I acted on some of the comments of the brave souls in RSC#15 who tried this and changed the amount of onion soup from the original! Their input, I promise you, make it a better recipe. A blend of sweet and savory flavors transforms this inexpensive meat into an enticing meal that looks special even though it's made simple in a slow cooker. Use a low-sodium soup mix or ChefDee's Substitute for 1 Envelope Onion Soup Mix and sugar-free preserves for a healthier version."
photo by East Wind Goddess
- Ready In:
- 4hrs 15mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 12 chicken thighs (boneless, skinlesss)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1⁄2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1⁄2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon onion soup mix
- 1⁄4 cup spicy brown mustard
- 3⁄4 cup apricot preserves (or jam)
- 1 cup dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)
directions
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- In a pan, heat oil and butter and place chicken thighs in it. Saute until lightly browned.
- Arrange chicken pieces in 3-4 quart slow cooker.
- Use the sherry to deglaze the pan, stirring until the volume is reduced by half.
- Mix remaining ingredients in the pan and pour over chicken. Stir to coat.
- Cover crock pot and cook on low for until chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender. In my hamilton Beach, it's about 4 hours, but cooking times vary so much in slow cookers, it's best to check.
- Optional: When the dish is almost ready, combine the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons liquid from the crock pot and mix until smooth. Add back to the crock pot; turn to high for 10-15 minutes until sauce is thickened.
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Reviews
-
I was delighted to see a crock pot recipe among the contest entries. I used leg quarters so cut apart & removed the skin before browning. The listed cooking time was far to long as the result was very dark . I wish I had checked them earlier. Maybe my crockpot cooks hotter? =( The meat was falling off the bone tender. The onion soup flavor dominated everything with the other flavors lost. I served them with brown rice pilaf to use the sauce. In order to use the leftovers I sautéed red & green pepper, onions, garlic, and boned the meat to serve in flour tortillas. We actually liked the chicken much more that way. Thank you for your contribution to RSC & good luck! -
As i almost always do when a recipe calls for 'onion soup mix,' & used just half of the indicated amount & that worked for me in this one, as well! We really enjoyed the sauce that was created & I'll definitely be making this one again! [Made & reviewed in RSC #15 Contest] -
Not sure if it was the brand of onion soup I used (Liptons) but it over powered any taste of the apricot. When I make this again I will use fresh onions and cut back on the sherry. After 3 hours in the crock pot my chicken was cooked perfectly so I turned it off and reheated just before dinner. The chicken was lovely & moist, fall off the bone tender. I definitely think that this recipe has excellent potential but for my taste buds needs some tweaking. I hope others give it glowing ratings Good luck in the contest
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Made this for the RSC #15 contest. I liked the overall flavor but It lacked a fresh flavor to me. I did substitute fresh thyme which I think helped. The flavor to me was a little flat. Also, I admit not being a fan of dry soup mix, but I do use it in some recipes. I think next time I would cut back on the soup mix. It tasted salty to me. But I loved the apricot, sherry flavor. It was good, but just missing something for me. I wish you the best. Kim -
Excellent recipe! I messed it up a bit though. I reduced it by half to feed 3 of us but out of habit I added the whole package of onion soup mix (the result was a little overpowering, but entirely my fault)! This was a super easy, very convenient recipe & in the end it was delicious. We'll be making it again. Thanks for submitting your creation, Chef! Good luck!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
I live in San Diego and travel frequently to China as a tour leader and travel consultant. Although I have been known to chow down on coconut grubs and ant eggs on my trips to China, when I'm cooking at home, my tastes run to European: Mediterranean, Provencal, Tuscan. I also like just about anything that Bobby Flay cooks up, and I love how he puts together a plate with American regional cuisines.
I enjoy the art of travel, savoring local food as a part of my experience. In America, the places that make a great destination for me again and again are New Orleans, Santa Fe, Seattle, Key West, San Antonio and New York. Abroad, I do love Provence, France; the Amalfi Coast; Santorini, Greece; Moorea, Tahiti; Hong Kong and then there's my bucket list...
My S/O lives in Las Vegas, so I spend quite a bit of time there but at home I unwind with my two Weimaraners and young Vizsla, do some gardening, reading, cooking, dog training and planning my (or someone else's) next trip.
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